GAP EXPERTS

Global Action on Poverty (GAP) offers its Changemakers a range of resources and capabilities to accelerate their journey and enable them to deepen the impact they create. Changemakers require focused support and diverse perspectives to be able to create a larger impact with their initiative.

They are often looking for guidance and support from experts in different areas so that they can address the challenges they are facing. Global Action on Poverty (GAP) has on boarded industry experts to share their expertise and experience to address these challenges so that they can accelerate their impact.

Why Mentoring?

The program can provide Changemakers with domain specific knowledge regarding a particular organization function, inputs on developing strategy, operational advice on their projects and also share their networks and connections.

Experts can play a key role in the Changemakers’ journey by having collaborative and supportive conversations so that they can take their initiative to the next level.

Mentoring is a process in which the Expert helps the Changemaker to develop his or her goals and skills through a series of time-limited, confidential, one-on-one conversations and other learning activities.

FAQs

What are the benefits of mentoring?

This program provides many benefits to you as a Changemaker and enables you to:

Develop a supportive relationship with an Expert

Get assistance in addressing particular issues that you may be facing

Develop problem solving skills through effective advice in any area

Build confidence and get encouragement from an experienced individual

Get professional advice and guidance to make the best decision in any given situation

For Experts

The Experts also draw benefits from a mentoring relationship. As a Mentor, one gets the opportunity to share their wisdom and experiences, evolve their own thinking, develop new relationships, and deepen their skills.

As an Expert, you can be a Facilitator, Advisor, Role model, a Motivator, a Confidant, a Challenger and a source of inspiration. You also get an opportunity to utilize your expertise for supporting a social cause and being part of many Changemakers’ amazing journeys.

What are the areas of expertise?

We have two types of experts – Organizational Function Experts & Domain Experts.

Organizational Function Experts who have experience in managing business and organizational functions:

Fundraising

Finance & Accounts

Business Strategy

Marketing & Beneficiary engagement

Operations

Data and Impact Monitoring

Volunteer Management

Partnerships

Organization Strategy

HR and Hiring

Domain Experts who have deeper expertise in the following areas of social change:

Agriculture

Education & Skill Building

Livelihoods & Enterprise

Water, Sanitation & Energy

Financial Inclusion

Healthcare

How do I connect with a GAP Expert?

Changemakers will be able to have 2 sessions of 1 hour each per month with an organizational or domain expert. These sessions will be spread over a period of 3 months. These sessions will support Changemakers to improve their plans and strategies.

Each Changemaker and Expert will have an initial conversation to finalize the following before starting the engagement:

Starting date of the mentoring engagement

Objective(s) of the mentoring engagement

Specific outcomes (if any) that the Changemaker wishes to achieve through the mentoring

Why become a GAP Expert?

This is an opportunity for experts to share their knowledge and experience to a group of individuals who will benefit tremendously from it and directly use it to create impact in their communities.

The experts can also benefit from the relationships with the Changemaker as they gain new insights on some of the important work that Changemakers are doing in their communities. By actively participating in a Changemaker’s journey, business experts can translate their professional experience to the social sector.

What are our mentoring guidelines for Experts & Changemakers?

As a GAP Changemaker, one gets to engage with a professional and socially aware Expert over a short and focused duration. Although the engagement duration is short, it is important that both parties follow the program structure and general guidelines for a fruitful engagement.

We have a few general guidelines for our Experts
As an Expert to GAP Changemakers, we request you to kindly consider the following points for the mentoring sessions:

As an Expert /Mentor to the Changemakers (CMs), we would appreciate and encourage you to be empathetic while questioning and listening to the mentee and be a confidant to them

Motivate the Changemakers to be goal oriented

Be a guide to the Changemakers and empower them to be in full charge of their initiative.

Manage the framework of the mentoring sessions (frequency of meetings, timescales, action plan), while encouraging the CM to take responsibility for the content

Help the CM see the bigger and longer term picture and help them consider different perspectives

Share your personal experiences and examples with CMs. It might help them understand better.

Maintain a professional and friendly relationship with the Changemaker, but also challenge him/her when appropriate.

Maintain the confidentiality of your engagement with the Changemaker and do not let third parties assess the Changemaker’s progress.

Finally, at GAP, our ethos of Excellence, Connection, Warmth and Empathy pervades all that we do and we would like to encourage you to adopt it wherever possible.

We also have some general guidelines for our Changemakers

As a Changemaker taking up the mentoring program, we would request you to follow few basic guidelines to be able to get the maximum from your engagement with the Experts:

Be committed to your development and assume the responsibility for acquiring or improving skills and knowledge

During the engagement, be honest and open about your expectations, goals, challenges and concerns

Respect your Mentor’s/Expert’s time and resources

Take responsibility for the agenda and initiate meetings with the Mentor

Come to your sessions prepared with a clear idea of what topics or issues you want to address

Actively listen and question

Build a supportive and trusting environment and seek advice, opinion, feedback, and direction from your mentor

Be prepared to be challenged by the mentor

Be open to constructive criticism/feedback and ask for it

Give feedback to your Mentor on what is working or not working in the mentoring relationship

Apply what you learn from your sessions back on your initiative

If you are interested in being a GAP Expert and have an experience of 10 or more years in your area of expertise, please do fill the GAP Expert Interest Form.